BUDVA, Montenegro - Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) won a bronze medal in the Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs division, the top U.S. performance at the 2010 Beach World Championships on Sunday.

Dolmo defeated K. Charalabos of Georgia, 2-1 in the bronze-medal match. It was his second career Beach World medal, to go with another bronze medal in 2007.

Dolmo finished the tournament with a 3-1 record. His only loss came in the second round to Fatjo Baro of Albania. He won two consecutive matches in the repechage to win the medal.

“It was different from past years. There was only one bronze. Traditionally, it’s been two bronze medals given,” said Dolmo.

Dolmo joins Jeff Funicello (Mesa, Ariz./American Pankration) as a two-time World bronze medalist for the United States in Beach wrestling. 

Funicello was among the five U.S. athletes to compete in Budva. He was defeated in his first match in the Under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. division.

Three other U.S. competitors who were competing in their first World Championships also fell short of medal contention: Anthony Gallton (Rochester, N.Y./Downtown Fitness Club) and Stephen Franko IV (Tunkhannock, Pa./unattached) in the Under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. division and Brett Giehl (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia WC) in the Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. division. 

Franko won his first match, beating Nikcla Djurkovic of Montenegro, 2-0. He was eliminated in the next bout by Mihajlo Bajlovic of Serbia, 0-2. Gallton and Giehl dropped opening round matches.

The United States finished seventh in the 20-nation field.

“Everyone wrestled with lots of passion and drive and wanted to make our country proud,” said Dolmo.

BEACH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budva, Montenegro, August 29

U.S. performances

Under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. – Anthony Gallton, Rochester, N.Y. (Downtown Fitness Club), dnp
LOSS Jozsef Adamecz (Hungary), fall

Under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. – Stephen Franko IV, Tunkhannock, Pa. (unattached), dnp
WON Nikcla Djurkovic (Montenegro), 2-0
LOSS Mihajlo Bajlovic (Serbia), 0-2

Under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. – Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration), dnp
LOSS Adem Akbulat (Turkey), 0-1

Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. – Brett Giehl, Livonia, N.Y. (Livonia WC), dnp
LOSS M. Radosavljevic (Montenegro), 0-2

Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. – Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y. (Blast Double NY), 3rd
WIN Darko Zizic (Montenegro), 2-0
LOSS Fatjo Baro (Albania), 0-2
WIN Malkhaz (Georgia), 2-0
WON K. Charalabos (Georgia) 2-1